This theater is special to me since it’s very much a part of my childhood summers. When I was growing up during the 1960’s, I would vacation in Gowanda during the summer months visiting family. At least once a week I would go to the Hollywood to see a film. I remember having to get cleaned up and put on a clean shirt and pants since I was ‘going into town.’ I also have a vague memory of an organist playing before the start of the film during some of these visits to the theater. Even in the 1960’s I don’t remember the crowd in the theater being very large. Even as a child I remember thinking this theater was different than the theaters back home since the audience was very small. However the best part of going to the movies in Gowanda was that after the film there was always a trip to Farner & Parker for ice cream!
Years later whenever I inquired about the status of The Hollywood, I remember relatives telling me about a woman who died and left money in her will to keep the theater going so that the townspeople would be able to see films. I don’t know who the woman is and what her connection to The Hollywood was. I’m wondering if this woman was the wife of the ‘glue tycoon.’
My last visit to The Hollywood must have been sometime in the 1970’s. The film was The Titanic. I remember the film ran on national network television about two weeks later!
As I mentioned in a previous e-mail, I was told by the security guard in front of the Paradise the theater would open in about 6 months for non-film presentations. However, in the Sunday (5/2/04) edition of the New York Daily News there was an article on the remaining Loew’s Paradise theaters in New York City as well as the Paradise in Jersey City. In this article they stated the owner(s) of the Loew’s Paradise at 2413 Grand Concourse are still searching for a tenant. I’m not sure who or what to believe at this point. Regardless, the present owner(s) are definitely in the process of remodeling the theater. I only hope they will do justice to architect John Eberson’s work.
I went up to Loew’s Paradise on the Grand Concourse (188th Street) on Saturday April 24, 2004 to photograph it for my ‘Vanishing NYC’ project. The place is being remodeled! I spoke with the security guard who informed me the theater will reopen in about six months, but not as a movie house, but as a theater for concerts and events such as boxing. I don’t know how accuarte this information is but it sounds positive. Whether or not they will retain the Loew’s Paradise sign, I have no idea. At least some of these great places are being revitalized.
Correction! My last visit to The Hollwood was to see the Poseidon Adventure, not the Titanic.
Sorry.
This theater is special to me since it’s very much a part of my childhood summers. When I was growing up during the 1960’s, I would vacation in Gowanda during the summer months visiting family. At least once a week I would go to the Hollywood to see a film. I remember having to get cleaned up and put on a clean shirt and pants since I was ‘going into town.’ I also have a vague memory of an organist playing before the start of the film during some of these visits to the theater. Even in the 1960’s I don’t remember the crowd in the theater being very large. Even as a child I remember thinking this theater was different than the theaters back home since the audience was very small. However the best part of going to the movies in Gowanda was that after the film there was always a trip to Farner & Parker for ice cream!
Years later whenever I inquired about the status of The Hollywood, I remember relatives telling me about a woman who died and left money in her will to keep the theater going so that the townspeople would be able to see films. I don’t know who the woman is and what her connection to The Hollywood was. I’m wondering if this woman was the wife of the ‘glue tycoon.’
My last visit to The Hollywood must have been sometime in the 1970’s. The film was The Titanic. I remember the film ran on national network television about two weeks later!
As I mentioned in a previous e-mail, I was told by the security guard in front of the Paradise the theater would open in about 6 months for non-film presentations. However, in the Sunday (5/2/04) edition of the New York Daily News there was an article on the remaining Loew’s Paradise theaters in New York City as well as the Paradise in Jersey City. In this article they stated the owner(s) of the Loew’s Paradise at 2413 Grand Concourse are still searching for a tenant. I’m not sure who or what to believe at this point. Regardless, the present owner(s) are definitely in the process of remodeling the theater. I only hope they will do justice to architect John Eberson’s work.
I went up to Loew’s Paradise on the Grand Concourse (188th Street) on Saturday April 24, 2004 to photograph it for my ‘Vanishing NYC’ project. The place is being remodeled! I spoke with the security guard who informed me the theater will reopen in about six months, but not as a movie house, but as a theater for concerts and events such as boxing. I don’t know how accuarte this information is but it sounds positive. Whether or not they will retain the Loew’s Paradise sign, I have no idea. At least some of these great places are being revitalized.